Scouting the draft: Patriots possible draft picks

In the last two and half months, we have heard a number of names floated as possible selections for that first round slot. Here's a look at the names that keep surfacing with an eye on who would fit on the team's roster.

In the last two and half months, wehave heard a number of names floated as possible selections for that first round slot. Here's a look at the names that keep surfacing with an eye on who would fit on the team's roster.

The hard-hitting safety is one of the best rated defensive backs on the board, so it's no wonder his name has been connected with the Patriots after the team finished a paltry 29th in pass defense. As a Florida football player, Elam has connections with former Gators Brandon Spikes, Aaron Hernandez, Jermaine Cunningham, and Jeff Demps. But his game speaks for itself. He tallied 76 tackles, 2 sacks, and 11 tackles for a loss. He was first team All-SEC and first team AP All-American. It'll be tough if he makes it to No. 29, but he's definitely on the radar.

What's the likelihood that there are two guys named Tavon on the Patriots? After the way Austin's name was thrown around by mock drafters and media folks, you'd think it was a done deal. Austin ran a 4.34 40-yard dash Sunday. In his senior season for West Virginia, he was all over the field as a returner, receiver, and in the back field. He caught 111 passes for 1,287 yards, ran for 652 yards on 73 carries, and averaged 25.1 yards on kickoff returns. He totalled 17 touchdowns on the season. He's only 5-feet, 9-inches and weighs 174 pounds. So he fits the mold of another slot-like wide receiver. But he has the versatility to be moved around, an attribute Bill Belichick thoroughly values.

All hoaxing aside, Manti Te'o's stock dropped a bit after a disappointing 4.82 40-yard dash at the combine. That doesn't match up well with the seven interceptions he had his senior season for Notre Dame as a Heisman runnerup. He had 113 tackles as the leader for one of the best defenses in college football, making him bonafide first rounder. But his standing could diminish because of his poor 40 (something he improved at his pro day, running a 4.67) and that could put him in reach of the Patriots at the 29th pick. The Patriots need a cover linebacker. It was thought that Te'o could fit that role. But that's up in the air now.

A 6-2, cover cornerback will get the attention of most coaches. But the Patriots are in a more despairing need for good corners than most NFL teams. Rhodes fits the bill skills-wise and has the proper dimensions, so it's no surprise his name has been floated with the Patriots. He was first team All-ACC last season and is rated as the No. 2 corner on the board by CBSSports.com. He had 39 tackles and three interceptions his junior year. With an eye on the future, the Patriots would be wise to covet the Miami native.

The Honey Badger's name is in the air. Mathieu is a troubled young man who was kicked off LSU's squad for violating multiple team rules, was arrested, and went to rehab for drug problems. He's in the process of rebuilding his reputation. In 2011, he was a magnificent game-changer for the Tigers football team, a dangerous returner and a phenomenal defensive back. He did not play in 2012. While he might have been a first round pick in 2012, he's now projected anywhere from the second round or later. Much like Alfonzo Dennard, he could be great steal for the Patriots in the later rounds.

As a Rutgers product, Greene has to be examined, considering Bill Belichick's fondness for the Scarlet Knights. As a converted defensive back, Greene has versatility – a huge plus in Belichick's book – and after improving his 40-yard dash at the Rutgers Pro Day (4.61), he's an interesting selection for both depth at outside linebacker and in sub packages to help the Patriots cover tight ends. Greene is known for his fast play, good tackling skills in the open field, and has contributed to Rutgers special teams play. He's projected to go in the second round or later. There are worries about his physical attributes, specifically whether he is big enough to play at linebacker in the NFL. But if you consider him for a specific role, coverage linebacker, he fits a specific need for the Patriots.

As a senior last season, Swearinger was a ball hawk, picking up second-team All-SEC honors after recording 79 tackles, two interceptions (one for a touchdown), two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and seven passes defensed.

He is known for his hard-hitting play, which contrasts sharply with the styles of Devin McCourty and Steve Gregory, the Patriots' current starting safety duo.

But the key with Swearinger, who reportedly met with the Patriots during the NFL combine, is his versatility. He has played cornerback, defended slot receivers, and has moved back and forth between free and strong safety. In 2012, he split time at corner and free safety.

After performing at a high level in the talented SEC, he is projected to go in the second or third round of the draft. His 40-yard dash time (4.67) did not help his cause. But his quickness, as evidenced by his cone drill (6.70), was outstanding and showed he has the ability to make up for a lack of straight-line speed.

Thomas is a 3-4 linebacker who has played a considerable amount of time with his hands in the grass as a pass rusher – a la Rob Ninkovich – but has also shifted inside on occasion, showing his versatility. No matter where he has played, he has been productive. The Stanford redshirt senior compiled 50.5 tackles for a loss in his tenure for the Cardinal, making him an enticing prospect. Like Jerod Mayo, Thomas has benefited from both a defensive scheme that is linebacker-friendly and instincts that have helped scatter his projections all over the map. Thomas can also thank a slow 40-yard dash (4.91) at the combine for what CBSSports has deemed a fourth-round projection. But prior to the combine, he was projected as being selected as high as the first round and was reportedly getting looks from the Patriots. He tallied 52 tackles last season, including 8.5 sacks. He led the Pac-12 with 17.5 tackles for a loss.

One of the most talented running backs in the draft will likely not be able to suit up in pads for an NFL team until the 2013 season is already underway. Marcus Lattimore, who suffered a horrific knee injury in a game against Tennessee in October 2012, is rehabbing to make sure he's ready should his name be called. For two years in in a row Lattimore was unable to finish a season because of a knee injury. As a true freshman, he ran for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns to garner All-SEC honors while being named the SEC freshman of the year in 2010. He started 2011 as a Heisman candidate, but hurt his left knee in the seventh game of the season. He came back in 2012 and played nine games before suffering what many believed to be a career ending injury to his right knee. The fact he's attracting attention – particularly from the Patriots – is a testament to his athletic ability. In three years, he tallied 2,677 yards rushing on 555 caries and 38 touchdowns. He's a smooth runner. Selecting Lattimore would be risky, especially with the Patriots' running back situation. He is projected to be selected in the fourth or fifth round.

Patterson's stock shot up after his 2012 season, one in which he was expected to be no more than the third receiver in the Vols' offense. But after an injury to teammate Da'Rick Rogers, Patterson exploded. The junior finished with 46 catches for 778 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns.

He's a fast receiver, able to get separation with his 4.42 speed. But he also is versatile. He scored touchdowns in four ways (receiving, rushing, punt return, kick return). His three rushing TDs were third-best for Tennessee.

With only three receivers under contract at this moment, the Patriots should be eyeing receivers such as Patterson, tall and fast. His ability to change direction on the fly is phenomenal.

The Patriots are in need of an outside, deep threat at wide receiver and draft experts, including the NFL's Mike Mayock, have billed the Baylor senior as someone who can fill the role. At Baylor, Williams perfected the fly and seam routes, using his 4.52 40-yard dash speed to create separation. (His fastest 40 at the combine was 4.40, while notching a slow 4.58 as well.) He tallied an NCAA leading 1,832 yards receiving, catching 92 passes and 12 touchdowns in 2012. However, the knock on Williams has been his inability to run routes well over the middle of the field, failing to fight for extra yardage, and a preference to catch ball with his body and not his hands. He projects easily as a boundary receiver in the NFL, which is what the Patriots are looking for now that Brandon Lloyd has been dismissed.

With two brothers already having played professional football, Desmond Trufant will be the third member of his family to crash the pro ranks and second in the NFL as one of the top cornerbacks on the draft board. He's fast (4.38 40-yard dash) and he's known for his coverage skills. And whatever worries there were about his strength, he seemed to dispel that with his 16 reps on the bench press at the NFL Combine. In his senior year at Washington, he was named first-team All-Pac-12 and recorded 36 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, nine passes defensed and one interception. In his four years, he was far more likely to break up a pass (33) than intercept one (6). Because of his standing among the top cornerbacks, ranked third among draft experts on CBSSports.com, he has the best chance to land with the New England Patriots at No. 29 in the first round.

The Patriots are overhauling their wide receiver corps, so there's reason to believe – as most experts have noted – that they'll select a wide receiver in this year's NFL draft. Woods has been one of the names that have been dropped. He's a talented prospect who has underrated speed (4.51 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine) and exceptional route-running skills. The three-year starter at USC had 176 catches in his career for 2,084 yards, and 21 touchdowns. He also returned 55 kickoffs for 1,364 yards and a touchdown, and returned punts (14 for 122 yards) too. His sophomore year he was a Biletnikoff Award finalist – given to the nation's best college wide receiver. In that season, he recorded 111 receptions, 1,292 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Before that, he started all 13 games as a freshman. So he has the resume of a decorated receiver and the highlight tape to back it up. He's a rare talent who thrives in space and provides yards after the catch. However, the worry about Woods is about his frame. His playing weight in college was 190 pounds, but he was weighed at 201 at the combine. He doesn't have the blazing speed to be a returner in the NFL, but is willing to run through traffic, something the Patriots lacked in Brandon Lloyd. He's been projected to be drafted anywhere from late in the first round to the second round.

Think Donald Thomas, the former Patriots OL, but on defense. Williams played football for one year in high school and moved on, thinking there was no chance he could play in college. Unlike Thomas, part of it was his own fault. He had trouble going to classes in high school and was tough to mentor. He wisened up, though, walking on at a junior college before making his way to North Carolina in 2011. In two years at UNC, he finished with 96 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss, and 8.5 sacks. He is seen as a run stuffing defensive tackle with the ability to clog gaps and redirect plays. A player like Williams would provide depth on the Patriots's defensive line, which was often undersized in 2012. Williams is also known for his patented swim move, which can be counted as both a strength and weakness, as noted by NFL.com and CBSSports.com draft scouts. But with only a middle second-round to third-round draft projection, he could easily fall to the Patriots at No. 59 overall and be a good addition to the Patriots' roster at a key position.

A second-team AP All-American, All-SEC first team, and All-SEC academic honor roll member in 2012, Reid has opted to forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft. As one of the top safeties on the board, his name is automatically entered into the Patriots' draft lexicon. Reid was more than impressive in his tenure at LSU. He recorded 91 tackles (41 solo), two interceptions and seven passes defensed in 2012. He had 10 tackles in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. As a free safety, he's shown that he can be in the right spot at the right time and is a good tackler in space. He has shown he can break down and take down larger defenders. There's optimism that he can still bulk up and become a more dangerous hitter over the middle of the field. If there's one drawback, as NFL.com notes, he can be overaggressive, jumping on routes in front of him. But he's certainly got the chops to play in the NFL and do so at a high level. He's projected anywhere from the late first to second round.

Hunt is a raw talent, known for his outstanding athleticism and high upside. He's a native of Estonia who made his way to Southern Methodist University to compete on the school's track and field team throwing shot put and discus. He has gold medals from the 2006 World Junior Track and Field Championships for both events. But the program, which needed to be revived, never got going. He ended up on SMU's football team and began showing off his athletic ability ever since. In his freshman year, he blocked seven PATs. In 2012, Hunt had 31 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, 11 quarterback hits, an interception, two forced fumbles, and three passes defensed. He has the size and speed (4.6 40-yard dash) to handle larger tackles and chase mobile quarterbacks. And he's new enough to the sport (he's only played three years) that any detailed work on his technique, according to draft experts, will only make him a more well rounded pass rusher. He can certainly be coached up by the Patriots. Hunt is currently projected to be selected in the first or second rounds of the NFL draft, giving the Patriots an opportunity to pick him up and develop him.

Fast and strong with desirable credentials, Boise State's Jamar Taylor finds himself as the prospect of interest for a number of franchises including the Patriots, Giants, 49ers, Lions, and Vikings. He had a stellar combine, running a 4.39 40-yard dash and threw up 22 reps in the bench press (225 pounds), tied for best among all cornerbacks. But he also was a top performer in the 20-yard shuttle (4.06 seconds) which better measures a player's quickness. He was a three-year starter at Boise State and All-Mountain West first team in 2012. In 2012, he compiled 51 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and three forced fumbles. Scouting reports note his good instincts and speed, but harp on his technique. Taylor is projected in either the first or second round, allowing for the possibility to fall to the Patriots at No. 29 overall.

The junior made quite the impact in the ACC in 2012, as Boston College fans can attest, catching 82 passes for 1,405 yards and a conference record 18 touchdowns on the year. He lit up the Eagles for 197 yards on 11 grabs with a touchdown in their matchup. It all topped off a decorated career for Hopkins at Clemson (206 receptions, 3,020 yards, 27 touchdowns) who declared for the NFL draft as an underclassmen after he was lauded as the AP's third-team All-American, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, and a first-team All-ACC selection. He's one of the few receivers that plays faster than their 40 time (4.57 at the combine, 4.55 at Clemson's pro day) and has shown good development as a route runner. While not overly big, he's considered an outside deep threat and a possible fit for the Patriots' open X-receiver position. He'll never be able to blow the top off defenses, but he'll certainly be a serviceable receiver to any franchise. He's projected to be selected anywhere from late in the first round to the second round.

With the Patriots' wide receiver position currently being reshuffled, the team finds itself in need of a talented young player who can blaze up the sideline and pull down catches over pesky cornerbacks. Mark Harrison has the intangibles. At 6-3 and 231 pounds, he fits the mold of the Patriots' X receiver, which works the boundaries of the field, much like Brandon Lloyd did. But the idea is to be better, and Harrison has the potential to be much better in terms of stretching the field. His 40-yard dash (4.46 at the NFL Combine, but clocked as fast as 4.37) is promising but his competitiveness is questionable. Despite bursting onto the scene in 2010 with 44 catches for 829 yards and nine touchdowns, he followed up with a dud of a season in 2011 (14 receptions, 274 yards, 2 TDs) under former coach Greg Schiano. He revived a bit of his promise in 2012, catching six more touchdowns on 44 passes, but there's much ado about his hands, stiffness, and quickness off the line. He's projected to be selected in the seventh round or fall off the board. But with his attributes, he's certainly a player worth keeping an eye on, maybe even as a rookie free agent.

You can't teach speed. That's how Don Jones (in the background), a strong safety for the Arkansas State Red Wolves and junior college transfer, has drawn interest around the NFL, including from the Patriots. The Baltimore Sun reported that he conducted a private workout for the Patriots. At the Arkansas State pro day, he ran a 4.42 and 4.40 40-yard dash, according to NFLDraftScout.com. He also recorded a remarkable 42-inch vertical jump, which has skyrocketed his draft stock. While he was estimated as a third- or fourth-round pick originally, that has more than likely changed. For his senior season, he recorded an unofficial 72 tackles with one interception and two passes defensed.

Unlike Cordarrelle Patterson, whom we scouted March 6, Hunter is a tad taller and has bested his fellow Volunteer in the vertical jump (39.5 inches) and broad jump (136 inches), making him a better candidate for the Patriots' X receiver. (During Tennessee's pro day, Hunter reportedly improved on those marks, which were already tied for the best at his position.) In high school, he was an All-American in the high jump (2010 USA Junior Championships), reminding us slightly of Brandon Lloyd. But that's where the comparisons stop. Hunter is a bona fide deep threat (4.44 speed). In three years for Tennessee, he compiled 106 receptions for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 17.1 yards per grab. In 2012, he caught 73 balls for 1,083 yards and 9 TDs. It was a breakout performance, strengthening his draft stock tremendously. One of the great things about Hunter is that he has moved around in the offense, working in the slot as well as on the boundaries. He has a smaller frame, so there is concern about his strength. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper projects the Patriots to select Hunter.